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S. 446: Informed Consent Act

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S. 446: Informed Consent Act

117th Congress · introduced 2021-02-25 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2021-02-25 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Informed Consent Act

Plain summary

Informed Consent Act This bill establishes new federal criminal offenses related to the performance of abortions and sterilization procedures. First, the bill prohibits knowingly performing an abortion or sterilization procedure without obtaining informed consent. It provides exceptions, including for an abortion or sterilization procedure that is necessary to save a mother whose life is endangered by a physical (but not psychological or emotional) disorder, illness, or condition. An individual who performs a prohibited abortion or sterilization procedure is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both. Second, the bill requires federal employees and contractors, as well as employees and contractors of certain federally funded entities, who know about a prohibited abortion or sterilization procedure to report it as soon as possible. An individual who knows about a prohibited abortion or sterilization procedure but fails to report it is subject to a fine, a prison term of up to three years, or both.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Informed Consent Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Thom Tillis (R-NC), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Roger Marshall (R-KS)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA] reported raising $2.0 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong117-s446 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117